Tehran, Sept 13, IRNA -- Iran`s permanent representative to the United Nations here Friday blamed the United States for its efforts to deprive Iran of nuclear power. Speaking in an interview with the New York Times, published on Friday, Mohammad Javad Zarif said that the US is trying to use existing international mechanisms to deprive Iran of legitimate power plants. "Iran`s ranking diplomat in the United states, in an interview blames the Americans for his country`s reluctance to reveal details of its nuclear program," New York Times wrote. Zarif further pointed to Washington`s "intention to deprive Iran" of legitimate power plants as the reason for Iran`s current problems with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), adding that the political issue has led to technical difficulties. He said that Iranian cooperation with the nuclear agency was simply a matter of carrying out the investigation "in the right political atmosphere," and "in a technical atmosphere." He added that Washington "has used the existing international mechanisms in order to take a step-by-step approach towards depriving Iran of its nuclear capability, even power generation. He added," There are people in Washington who do not want to clarify matters -- who, in fact, would encourage, invite and welcome negative news from Iran. And if that is the intention, if that is the desire, then they may in fact get what they want." On the United States policy in the Middle east, Zarif said,"I believe the entire international community considers the behavior of the United States disrespectful, particularly of this administration." He also mentioned the American invasion of Iraq as the main reason behind further extremism in the region, exacerbation of the terrorist threat both inside Iraq and outside as well as discouraged cooperation and confidence-building in the region. The IAEA Governing Board on Friday passed a resolution setting Iran an October 31 deadline to prove it had no secret atomic weapons program. The resolution, submitted by Australia, Canada and Japan, calls on Iran to "provide accelerated cooperation" with agency efforts to clear up Tehran`s nuclear question marks. It also urges Tehran to suspend all further uranium enrichment-related activities. Iran`s delegation walked out of the board of governors` meeting in protest. Iranian officials had repeatedly warned that imposing a deadline would aggravate the existing tension.

VIENNA (Reuters) - Russia gave explicit public backing on Saturday to a U.N. watchdog's resolution which has given Iran seven weeks in which to let the atomic agency verify it has no secret nuclear weapons program.

The clear words from a country that had been seen as trying to counter American pressure on Iran will not be welcomed by Tehran, which says the setting of the October 31 deadline is proof it is the next target of a U.S. invasion.

Following intense U.S. pressure for action against Iran, the 35-nation governing board of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) passed a resolution on Friday demanding Iran answer many outstanding questions about its nuclear program.

The resolution implies that if the IAEA still has doubts about Iran's atomic program in November, its board might declare Iran in breach of international obligations and report it to the U.N. Security Council for possible economic sanctions.

Approval of the resolution ignited the wrath of Tehran. Iran's ambassador to the IAEA in Vienna, Ali Akbar Salehi, said it showed Washington intended to invade Iran as it did Iraq.

He rejected the ultimatum and said Tehran would begin a "deep review" of its cooperation with the U.N. watchdog.

A Saturday editorial in Iran's hardline newspaper Jomhuri-ye Eslami said Iran should follow the example of North Korea, which on December 31 expelled all IAEA inspectors and later withdrew from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

"It should be accepted that the correct way was the one North Korea chose," the paper said.

Russia, which diplomats said had fought hard to weaken the U.S.-backed language of the resolution to protect billions of dollars of nuclear deals with Tehran, ultimately backed it.

"(The resolution) is a serious and respectful appeal by the agency for Iran to cooperate with IAEA...and do so without delay," Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Kislyak told Interfax.

Iran denies U.S. allegations that it has violated the NPT in its effort to develop atomic weapons secretly.

But Anoush Ehtesami, professor of international relations at Britain's University of Durham, said some in the military were keen to leave the NPT to follow Pakistan's and India's example.

"The lesson Iran has learned...is that you can have a clandestine program, and when you complete it you declare your nuclear status and after a little period of economic sanctions the world moves on," he told the BBC.

WHAT IRAN MUST DO BY OCTOBER 31

Friday's resolution said Iran must fully cooperate with the IAEA to enable it to verify the "non-diversion of nuclear materials" to a secret weapons program.

By the end of October, Iran must give the IAEA a "full declaration" of uranium enrichment-related imports, especially "imported equipment and components stated to have been contaminated with highly enriched uranium particles."

The IAEA's discovery of weapons-grade enriched uranium at an enrichment facility at Natanz sparked fears that Tehran has been secretly purifying uranium for use in nuclear weapons.

Iran blamed the uranium on contaminated components bought abroad, an explanation that has met with widespread skepticism.

The resolution also called on Iran to immediately suspend all uranium-enrichment activities for the time being.

Tehran must also grant "unrestricted access" to IAEA inspectors throughout the country and permit them to take environmental samples wherever they choose. Tehran has refused to let IAEA inspectors to take samples at some sites.

Finally, by the end of October Iran must "remedy all failures" and take all steps necessary for the IAEA to "resolve all outstanding issues involving nuclear materials and nuclear activities" in Iran. (Additional reporting by Paul Hughes in Tehran, Andrei Shukshin in Moscow and the London bureau)

"Iran`s ranking diplomat in the United states, in an interview blames the Americans for his country`s reluctance to reveal details of its nuclear program,"

Ohhhh. It's the Americans fault they won't reveal details of their nuclear program. So if it were just the other countries insisting, they'd be an open book. No secrets at all. Is that what you want everyone to believe, Mr. Zarif?